This New Taxi Service Is for Ladies Only

Forget Uber vs. Lyft drama. In NYC, there’s a new car service making headlines. No, this isn’t just another app that lets you call up a cab of your choice, this one is different. SheRides is a service with one special feature: They exclusively hire female cab drivers.

Stella Mateo, wife of the founder of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, came up with the idea to help women feel more comfortable when they call a cab. She also saw it as a way to help women join what has, until now, been a male-dominated industry.

SheRides, which will actually be called SheTaxi in all states but New York, where doing so violates regulations, will cater only to female parties or groups with at least one woman in them. Riders can request pickups through an app, which dispatches drivers all around the city, recognizable by hot pink scarves. If the group is all men, they’ll be redirected to another car service.

The idea is getting lots of press around New York, and plenty of women (and men!) are expressing their support, and often, their relief. The service can be safer for the female drivers, who don’t always want to accept male customers, and a win for those who have faced discrimination from male peers in the field. We have yet to take our first ride, but we have a feeling we’ll give this service a five star rating.

Would you use this girls-only cab service? Is it a good idea? Let us know what you think below!

Nora is a writer, photographer, foodie and feminist. After living in New York City for 23 years, she recently moved San Francisco and can't wait to explore. When she's not pursuing her interests in health and technology, she loves hiking, yoga, playing piano and squealing over kittens as an ASPCA volunteer.